


Fathoms Below

by Remember_to_write



Series: AUs with Jason Todd [1]
Category: DCU (Comics)
Genre: F/M, Fluff, Jaybird is a pretty mermaid and reader is badass pirate lol, Mermaids/Pirates AU, Pirates AU, a bit of angst, mermaid au, not too much but enough to make things interesting
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-04-10
Updated: 2017-05-14
Packaged: 2018-10-17 01:25:38
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 8
Words: 8,559
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10583523
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Remember_to_write/pseuds/Remember_to_write
Summary: A female pirate captain is thrown overboard by her mutinous first mate. What happens after she is saved by a merman?





	1. Chapter 1

Y/N stood at the helm of her ship and looked off across the waves. She could feel the mist on her skin and taste the salt from the water. She had loved the ocean as long as she had been alive. She hadn’t always been on a ship though.

She was born the child of a moderately wealthy family. They were not gentry by any means, but they had the means to live relatively comfortably. Her older sister had struck a match with a naval captain and moved to a big house on a hill. Y/N watched as her sister wasted away in a loveless marriage whilst living in the lap of luxury. 

Y/N decided at a very young age that she would not make the same mistake. So when her parents announced she was to be married to another naval officer that was a close friend of her sister’s husband, she knew she needed to move. 

She cut her hair off and dressed as a servant boy and ran away in the middle of the night. She found work as a galley boy on a merchant ship and left before daylight. She knew what she did was dangerous and foolish and that her family would never forgive her, but she also knew that continuing on as she had been and following the path her parents set wouldn’t be really living. 

It hadn’t taken long for her to figure out exactly how a ship worked. She studied those around her and learned from example. She caught on faster than anyone the other sailors had ever seen. 

One night, the merchant ship she was working was boarded by pirates. It turned out that one of the sailors was a spy for the ship, looking for a particularly expensive cargo to steal. The ship was ransacked and crippled so that they couldn’t pursue. Not that a merchant ship could do any substantial damage, but we couldn’t have them running to the Navy before the pirates could get away, now could we?

The spy for the pirates told his captain about Y/N’s skill. He took one look at the “boy” and offered him a small job on the crew. He was not a heartless man, but someone looking to make a quick buck off the misfortune of others. Besides, he had once had a son, but the boy perished of disease. Maybe it would do the ship some good to have youngblood learning the lifestyle.

Y/N knew she probably shouldn’t say yes, but the words were out of her mouth before she could stop them. The pirates cheered and the captain welcomed her aboard. 

Months went by and the Captain began to look at her as if she were his own. He didn’t know her secret, none of the crew did. She got even better at running a ship and was elevated to various positions of command. 

The Captain took it upon himself to train Y/N as his successor. He knew that to be a pirate captain was to maintain a slim balance of intimidation and people pleasing. If you weren’t intimidating, anyone could overthrow you. But if you didn’t take care of your crew, it wouldn’t matter how scary you were, they would slit your throat in the middle of the night and leave you for the sharks to eat.

He taught her every trick in the book. It was when they were sword fighting that he realized his lad was really a lass all along. But by that time, Y/N was practically his child and he didn’t have the heart to expose her or to send her away. So instead, he trained her harder. He put more expectations on her. If she was to be a Captain then she had better be ready for more pressure than ever. No man would willingly follow a female captain unless she was worth her salt.

When he was sure she could take whatever they threw at her, they revealed to the crew her true identity.  By then, the crew knew she was worth her weight in gold as a sailor. Some of the hands tried to raise a fuss, but the majority accepted it as a fact. Captain says the woman stays. She ain’t caused any trouble until this point so she might as well keep working. 

When she was made first mate, there were grumblings, but they were quickly tamped down. 

One night, long after the crew had settled down to her being second in charge. Her “father” fell ill. He wasn’t sick for long, but it seemed like an eternity to Y/N. Three days after his illness began, he passed away in his sleep. The crew were all shaken, but Y/N squared her shoulder and took charge. She fell into the role of leadership like she had been born to it. 

Y/N took her eyes off the horizon as her thoughts returned to the present. 

“First Mate Silver, how are we on this fine day?” She called out. The middle aged man meandered to the steps leading up to the platform on which she stood. 

“Just fine, Captain. Looking to be a storm brewing to the South though.” The man pointed a finger to a microscopic cloud on the horizon. 

“We’ll have to keep an eye out on that.” She muttered. 

“Aye, Captain, we will. Might be a job for the night crew though.” Silver said.

“The sun is getting pretty low, isn’t it?” Y/N said as she handed control of the helm to the First Mate. “Keep us on track. I’m going to retire early.”

“Aye, Captain. Get a good rest.” The First Mate called as she went below. She made her way to her quarters. It was still odd to think that the room her adopted father had once called home were now hers. She felt a pang in her heart as she remembered him. She sighed and laid down on her bed. She was so busy during the day that she barely had time to mourn him, but at night she liked to remember him and let her heart heal. 

She quickly fell asleep and didn’t wake up when someone entered the room. She didn’t feel the ropes looping around her hands and feet, but she startled awake when they pulled tight. She let out a yell, but was quickly silenced when someone stuck a cloth in her mouth. “Sorry, pretty, but Silver doesn’t take orders from a woman.” Her treacherous First Mate threw her over his shoulder and carried her up to the main deck.

She kicked and screamed into her gag, but his hold on her was firm.

“You know, Captain Silver, she is actually a really pretty little thing when ya be thinking about it.” One of the crew members said. 

“Maybe Poseidon will make her his bride.” Silver joked as he set her on the railing. “Sorry, little mermaid, but the only reason we held out this long was for the old Captain’s memory. He wanted you to be a Captain and by golly you were. For a month. I’ll be saying a prayer for your soul.” He said as he pushed her overboards. 

Y/N took a deep breath before she hit the water. She sunk like a ton of bricks and was fading quickly. She tried with all her might to kick back to the surface, but only succeeded in tiring herself out. She began to cry as her lungs burned, the only reason she knew was because of the warm water around her eyes. She sighed as her vision blurred, but right before the darkness hit her, she felt a pair of strong arms grab her waist.


	2. Chapter 2

Jason was pissed. Well, more than pissed if he was being honest. He had just gotten into another fight with Bruce and it felt as if they were speaking different languages. He just didn’t understand how Bruce could insist he stay in one spot when there was an entire world to explore. The ocean is a gigantic place with myriads of ruins and underwater cities, but Bruce wanted to stay put? Jason needed to wander, he needed to know what adventures and treasures were out there for him to explore. He was aware of the dangers. Not all merfolk are kind, but he knew, if he was given the chance, he could make the ocean safer for all.

Jason swam through a shipwreck. From the noises he sometimes heard coming from the surface, he knew humans must be just as treacherous as his kind was. He sometimes wondered what humans were like and if they felt the same need to adventure that he did. He laughed at the thought. Surely they did, why else would they create these monstrosities to carry them across the water?

Jason reclined on the bow of the sunken ship and looked up. At the depth he was, there wasn’t a lot of light, but that didn’t stop him from watching the world above him glow. He squinted as a dark object came into view. It didn’t move like any sea creature he had seen before and it was sinking pretty quickly. He swam up to it and quickened his pace when he saw what it was.

A young woman, bound in ropes with a rag stuffed in her mouth and she looked to be fading fast. She had been struggling pretty hard when Jason first saw her, but her movements slowed as he grew close. He saw her eyes begin to close as he reached her. As he wrapped his arms around her, he knew he wouldn’t be able to get her back to the surface in time. He cursed as she went limp in his arms.

He removed the fabric from her mouth and cradled her head in his palms. He hesitated as he looked at her unconscious face. Could he really do this? He wondered. What would Bruce say?

His features hardened at the thought. Bruce would let her drown.

“Fuck it.” Jason said before pressing his mouth to hers. He knew the moment she regained consciousness. One of her hands slipped into his hair as she kissed him back, before she realized her situation. She pulled back and gasped for air. He allowed her some space, but didn’t let go. He watched as she took in her surroundings, her eyes growing wide.

“What the hell?” She said as she began to struggle against him.

“Calm down. You are safe now.” Jason said as he held her.

Y/N continued to struggle against his grip. “I’m not going to hurt you, but I need you to stop squirming.” He said gently. Y/N stopped squirming and looked at him. Her eyes took in his dark hair and bright blue eyes. She blushed a little bit as her eyes scanned his torso. Her eyes widened as she took in his scales and tail.

“What are you?” She whispered in shock. She had heard tales of half human creatures that lived in the deep, but she had thought them just stories old sailors tell to pass the time.

“I’m Jason.” He answered, ignoring her use of “what” instead of “who”. He swam back towards the wrecked ship. He set her down on the algae covered boards and removed the ropes from her arms and legs. “Are you okay?”

Y/N rubbed her wrists and thought back to the betrayal of her crew and her almost death. She looked back at the man, well merman, in front of her and noted the genuine concern in his eyes. “I’ll be fine.” She insisted quietly.

“What the actual fuck.” Jason heard a familiar voice say. He cursed and turned around.

“Dick, let me explain.” Jason said quickly. He moved in between Y/N and Dick, creating a protective barrier between the girl he had saved and his angry brother.

“Don’t bother. You can explain it to Bruce because that is where we are going.” Dick said as he grabbed his brother’s arm. Jason sighed and wrapped an arm around Y/N’s waist.

She clung to him as they made their way to the underwater cave that Jason and Dick called home. When they entered, several other merpeople of various ages and colorings turned and stared at her. Y/N cringed and held tighter to Jason. “Don’t worry, most of them don’t bite.” He whispered over his shoulder. He smirked when Y/N poked the back of his head.

“What do we have here?” A tall merman with dark hair asked. Dick and Jason swam up to him.

“Jason kissed a human.” Dick said, pointing to Y/N. The other merfolk in the room gathered around to watch the encounter unfold. Y/N looked from face to face. Most of them were young, around her age if she had to guess, one of them was small, but his eyes were sharp and calculating. As she studied their faces, familiarizing herself with the group surrounding her, she knew that they were scrutinizing her as well.

“I can see that much, Dick.” Bruce said as he turned to Jason. “What I would like to now is why?”

“She was drowning, Bruce. I knew that if I started swimming to the surface, she would be dead by the time I got her above the water. I was planning on taking her up, but she woke up.” Jason answered truthfully. Bruce nodded before turning to look at Y/N. She shrunk back from his scrutiny and his eyes softened.

“I understand. I am not happy about it, but I understand.” Bruce said with a sigh. “That being said, she cannot stay here, but we also cannot let her leave.”


	3. Chapter 3

“She can’t leave, but she also can’t stay? Do you realize how little sense you just made?” Jason asked, his voice getting louder as he became angrier.

“She can’t stay here because the kiss won’t last forever.” Bruce explained calmly. “I have seen a situation similar to this before. The kiss will only last a couple days. I’ve only seen one person stay underwater until the kiss wore off. The League had found the human and brought him back to their base. They kept him locked up until he drowned.” Bruce’s eyes grew hard at the memory. He had been training with the League, learning their fighting style. He would never forget the fear in the man’s eyes as the magic wore off and water flooded his lungs. It had been at that moment he decided to leave.

Jason looked at Y/N’s pale face. Her breathing had quickened and she was obviously terrified. He rubbed her shoulder in the hopes it would help her calm down. “We have to get her to the surface before then.”

“I agree. There is still the problem of her knowing about us though. She cannot leave with the knowledge that merfolk exist.” Bruce said firmly.

“Well, we cannot just let her die either!” Jason exclaimed. Y/N jumped a bit and he held her closer to him, as though trying to protect her from his family.

“No one here wants her to die, Jason, calm down.” Dick said softly.

“Excuse me for not quite believing that.” Jason said in a sarcastic tone. He and Dick exchanged glares.

“Enough!” Bruce cried out, tired of the fighting between his sons. “I know a way we can fix this. There is a witch who live not too far away from here. Her magic can take away memories. If you take Y/N to her before the League finds out, there is a good chance we can get Y/N home long before the spell wears off.”

“What happens if the League finds me first?” Y/N asked in a small voice. She hadn’t spoken a word since Dick had found her and Jason on the abandoned ship.

Bruce’s eyes softened with compassion when he heard the fear in her voice. “We’ll do everything in our power to help you.” She looked uncertain, but she nodded in understanding.

“Where does the witch live?” Jason asked.

“In a cave on the edge of the kelp forest.” Bruce said, he picked up a map and circled the location. He held it out to Jason, but didn’t let go. “I want Dick to go with you.”

“You still don’t trust me?” Jason asked incredulously.

“It isn’t about trust. If one of the members of the League finds her, you are going to need all the help you can get.” Bruce said as he released his hold on the map. “Keep in the shadows. Don’t move in the open. And don’t let anyone see you have a human with you.”

Dick and Jason both nodded as they started to head out the way they came, with Y/N clinging to Jason’s shoulders. “Good luck!” They heard a bunch of their siblings cry out as they exited the tunnel and entered the open ocean.

“We’re sure as hell going to need it.” Dick muttered as he looked at Y/N’s worried face. The sooner they got rid of her, the better.


	4. Chapter 4

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This midweek update is brought to you by a poll on my writing blog (memento-scribet.tumblr.com) where I had my followers vote on which of my AU series should get updated.

Y/N was beginning to feel exhausted. She hadn’t slept well the night before, had almost drowned, been saved by magical kiss from a merman, and now she was trying to avoid a league of killer mermaids so that she could get to a sea witch before the effects of the magical kiss wore off. She took a deep breath and released it, feeling the flow of the water through her body. It was weird, being able to breath underwater. It didn’t take any more effort than breathing air had, but it was an odd new sensation. She kinda liked it. She would miss it when she went back to the surface.

Well, she wouldn’t remember this when she went back to the surface. The thought sobered her. She was actually beginning to feel attached to Jason, especially considering that she was holding on to him rather tightly as he swam. She wished she could get to know him, he seemed to be a rather nice person, but given their… differing backgrounds it was probably for the best.

Y/N caught site of what looked like seaweed propelling itself through the water. “What’s that?” She asked quietly. Jason turned to her and she pointed her finger at the thing.

“That’s a sea dragon.” He said, before returning his attention to the ocean in front of him.

“Oh,” Y/N said simply. “It’s pretty.”

Jason stopped for a moment and pulled her arms from around him. Y/N floated in confusion for several moments before Jason scooped her up. She looked at him with wide eyes.

“This way I can see what you are pointing to and I don’t have to turn to look at you.” He explained.

“I hate to break this up, really.” Dick said sarcastically. “But we are kinda on a tight schedule.”

“I have time to answer her questions, Richard.” Jason shot back. Y/N grimaced at the intense looks the boys sent each other.

“If the League finds us, I am handing you both over.” Dick muttered as he swam forward.

Jason was ready to say something, but Y/N’s hand on his shoulder stopped him. She shook her head slowly and he sighed before speeding up to catch Dick.

After that, Y/N kept her questions to a minimum, but Jason still whispered to her what all the names of the creatures were. Dick pretended not to hear it. It wasn’t that he had anything against Y/N, he was sure she was nice and whatever, but she was also going to leave and they would never see her again. He loved his little brother, despite the fighting and disagreements, which is why he couldn’t let him get hurt by falling for a human.

When the glow from above started to fade, Dick looked around for a spot that they could rest. He found it in a small cave. It was bare, but it was hidden and they would be safe.

“We are going to stay here for the night.” He said as he led the way into the small enclosure. Jason let out a sigh as he set Y/N on the ground. She wasn’t heavy, but he had been carrying her all day it seemed. Y/N felt relief as well. It was nice to just float for a bit without holding on to someone. Dick immediately found a corner and laid down in it. He closed his eyes and sighed deeply and they assumed he fell asleep.

Any tiredness Y/N had felt earlier was gone now. She had been through so much and it kept playing in her head. Her body was tired, but her head was reeling.

“Hey,” Jason whispered. “Do you want to see something beautiful?” Y/N looked over at Dick, but he didn’t stir. She nodded and Jason took her hand.

He led her out of the cave and into a small grotto nearby. There were sea flowers of every color growing on the walls and ceiling. Y/N had never seen such things like that before. She reached forward to touch one, but Jason pulled her hand back.

“That one stings.” He said. He reached out his hand and poked a different one and shied away from his touch. Y/N gasped and laughed.

“Everything is so beautiful here.” She said in awe as a small school of fish swam past and into a hole in the coral.

“What is it like up there?” Jason asked as he settled on the floor. Y/N sighed as she sat down next to him.

“It is pretty there, too.” She said carefully. “There are bright colors and interesting creatures, but it is hard for women.”

Jason saw the sad look in her eyes. “Tell me about it.” He encouraged softly.

“I have an older sister.” Y/N started. “She married when I was very small. I grew up watching her run herself ragged to please a man who spent all their money on drink and other women. When I heard my parents wanted to marry me off as well, I ran away. I dressed as a boy and got a job on a merchant ship.”

“Is that where you before you.. Fell into the ocean?” Jason asked.

“No, I left the merchant ship not too long after I joined. I became a crew member on a pirate ship where the captain adopted me, first as his son and then as his daughter. He passed away not too long ago and left me in charge of his ship.” Y/N said as she played with a piece of seaweed. “I didn’t fall off my ship. My first mate, the man I trusted to help me, tried to drown me so that he could run the ship.”

“Why would he do that?” Jason said in confusion. He could see no reason for why someone would want to kill her. She had been nothing but quiet and kind since he had met her.

“He said that he didn’t take orders from a woman.” Y/N sniffled. She could feel herself crying, but no tears were running down her face. Jason gathered her in his arms and rocked her back and forth.

“Hey, it is okay. We are going to get you back on land and you can take back your ship.” He murmured against her hair. He held her until she stopped shaking. “So,” He said pulling back to look at her. “Do you want to hear my sob story?”

Y/N nodded slowly before resting her head on his shoulder.

“Well, Bruce isn’t my real dad.” Jason said, his fingers playing with the ends of Y/N’s hair. “My parents are dead. I don’t like talking about how they died, but they are gone. Bruce took me in and gave me a home.”

“That was nice of him.” Y/N said quietly.

“Yeah, it would have been even nicer had I not died.” Y/N pulled back quickly and looked him in the eyes. “You heard right, I died.”

“Then how are you here?” Y/N asked in confusion and fear.

“The League,” Jason answered. “They performed some kinda magic on me, I don’t know for sure my memories from that time are really fuzzy, but they brought me back to life and trained me before letting me go. I got back and Bruce had taken in another troubled boy. I thought he replaced me.” Jason said, his eyes growing hard. He looked at Y/N’s sad eyes and softened. “It took me a while, but I finally accepted that he didn’t replace me. Now, I travel the world with my friends and I come home when Bruce needs me.”

“That sounds like an adventure.” Y/N said with a small smile on her face.

“It is.” Jason yawned. “As much as I have loved talking to you, I think we should get some rest.”

Y/N nodded and got up. Jason helped her swim back to the small cave.

“Goodnight.” Y/N whispered and kissed his cheek. She laid down in and rolled over to face the wall. Jason smiled before laying on his back and staring up at the ceiling. It felt nice to be able to talk to someone new. He closed his eyes and dreamed of a mermaid with bright e/c eyes.


	5. Chapter 5

Y/N couldn’t quite put her finger on what was different. She knew she was underwater. She remembered the events that had led to her being underwater. She remembered Jason and his family, the decision to take her to the witch’s cave, and the beginning of the journey.

So what exactly was different? Perhaps she would have better luck figuring it out if she opened her eyes. Which she would have no problem doing if they didn’t feel like they were weighed down. Come to think of it, her entire body felt as though it weighed a thousand pounds. Was this some by product of sleeping underwater that she wasn’t aware of? Not that she had much previous knowledge considering humans tend to drown when submerged too long.

With every ounce of strength she could muster, she slowly managed to open her eyes. She was in a dark room, definitely not the cave she had been in the previous night. It was smaller than the cave had been, and it was closed off with a door.

A door that opened and let in a small group of merpeople. An older man, with a woman who looked to be around Bruce’s age and a couple of what could only be guards flanking them. Y/N thought tried to struggle, but her body refused to move. A quick look at her body confirmed that she was not tied down, which only sent her mind into a panicked frenzy trying to figure out why she could not move.

“Relax, little one.” The older man said. “No harm will come to you while you are here.” Y/N wanted to believe the soft words that had come from his mouth, if not for the feeling of dread that had buried itself into the pit of her stomach. “Don’t try to talk. We have temporarily paralyzed you so that you could not escape.”

He approached the place where she was lying down and sat down beside her. “I wish that life was not this way, little one. I wish that merpeople and mankind could live together in harmony with the knowledge of each other’s existence, but that is not so. Mankind only takes and never gives. He plunders the ocean of all its valuables and life and all we receive is fear and death.” His eyes hardened as he spoke. Y/N felt like there was a deep pain behind his words. His eyes softened when they noticed the scared look on her face. “I speak not of you specifically. Nor any other unlucky human who has had the misfortune of seeing the inside of this room. But mankind as a whole must not be allowed to know of merpeople.”

“But I was told the witch could remove my memories.” Y/N managed in a hoarse whisper.

Ra’s sighed as he got up. “What reassurance would we have that you were not lying? It is safer for all merpeople if your knowledge of our kind dies with you.”

He swam for the door as panic began to take Y/N’s mind. “Don’t worry, little one. We will not be killing you. Your body will do that well enough once the mermaid’s kiss wears off in three days.”

He and the group who came with him turned and exited the room. The woman lingered, her eyes scanning Y/N up and down with unreadable eyes before leaving and closing the door behind her.

Y/N sat up. Her head was spinning, but she wasn’t sure if it was the panic or whatever sedative they had used. She could feel the warmth of tears again. She seemed to be crying almost nonstop these days. It was a good thing no one could see her tears here or else she would be embarrassed. Tears are for children and for delicate women, not brilliant sea captains like the great Captain Y/N. She scoffed at the thought. Captain for a month before her first mate bound her whilst she slept and threw her into the briny deep.

Y/N tried to think of a way she could possibly escape, but drew blanks. If her hunch was correct, ”the League” that Bruce had warned them about had tracked them down and captured her. Which meant that even if she wasn’t still feeling the effects of the sedative and had the proper time to adapt her fighting style to underwater combat, she stood no chance against a bunch of sea assassins.

This would almost be funny if her situation was not so dire.

She looked around the room, hoping for something that might help, but all she saw was the door and one lantern. It must have been salvaged from a sunken ship. The place where the candle would have been had instead been replaced by a tiny glowing plant that provided enough light to allow one to see the contents of the room.  It would seem that her only hope, once again, was Jason.


	6. Chapter 6

Jason knew the moment he regained consciousness what had happened. The heaviness in his head and limbs could only mean he had been drugged. The fumbling noises in the room let him know that Dick was also struggling.

“They took her.” Jason rasped out as he fought to sit up. “They found us and they took her.”

“What was your first clue?” Dick said sarcastically as he rubbed his eyes.

“We need to find her, Dick.” Jason said as he tried to flex the fading numbness out of his arms and tail.

“Relax, Jason. We’ll get her back.” Dick said calmly as he got up. His concerns at Jason’s apparent attachment for this human were growing. He didn’t want Y/N to die anymore than Jason did, but he also knew that they were only saving her so that she could leave forever. After her memories were erased and she was dropped off on the nearest beach, they would never see her again.

Dick’s words had only a slight effect on Jason. He wasn’t sure when or how or why this human had become so important to him, but it seemed like, despite all their differences, they were the same in many ways. He could see in her eyes that, given half a chance, they could become close friends. He tried not to think about her leaving and never returning, right now he focused only on keeping her safe. Which was going great at the moment.

“We need to go get her.” Jason said as he swam towards the exit. Dick quickly grabbed his arm and pulled him back.

“There are only two of us and you aren’t thinking straight. Do you really want us to risk Y/N’s life by jumping in without a plan?” Dick said as he held his brother back. Jason shook his head as Dick loosened his grip.

“You’re right.” He said. He once again began to swim, but in the way that they had traveled the previous day. “We need Bruce.”

“So,” Damian said when Jason and Dick burst into the room. “Did you get rid of the human?”

“Don’t have time for this, devil fish, we have a problem.” Jason said as he swam passed the boy to Bruce. “They found us after we stopped for the night. They drugged me and Dick and took her.” Jason’s voice caught slightly as he explained what happened to Bruce. The people in the room were slightly taken aback at the emotion Jason was showing. They knew him to be a hothead. Brash. Loud. Hard to get close to. So the fact that he was falling apart over a human they hadn’t even heard utter a word was insane and completely unlike him. Bruce, however, knew his son and had known the moment he saw him with the human girl that he was in over his head.

The older merman sighed and turned to began gathering supplies. “We are going to do something I had hoped we would never have to. We need to fight the League.”

“Like the entire League? As in, break into their stronghold and also break back out without dying fight the League?” Tim asked incredulously.

“And for a human we barely know?” Stephanie added.

“We can’t just let her die.” Jason argued.

“And we aren’t.” Bruce said firmly. “Now, if you aren’t going to help us, get out.” He waited until he saw no one was moving. “Good, now, this isn’t going to be easy, but if everything goes according to plan, we should be successful.”

“Plan? You literally just heard this human had been captured and you already have a plan?” Duke asked.

“He has a plan for everything, even not having a plan.” Harper said. “Just roll with it.”

Bruce took out a map and laid it out on the smooth rock slab that served as a table. “Now listen carefully. We only have one shot at this.”

Everyone immediately got to work helping Bruce formulate a plan and gather the necessary supplies. Time was running out and they needed to move quickly, but swiftness does nothing if you are not thorough. It took them two days to get everything together and to create a plan foolproof enough to get everyone in and out without a hitch. Jason did his best to contribute, but Bruce eventually told him to be quiet as he had begun snapping at people.

Dick frowned as he watched Jason closely. He had never seen him this worked up over someone before.

“Is he okay?” Babs quietly asked Dick, nodding towards Jason.

“I don’t know.” He sighed. He had also grown to like this human girl. She had an insatiable curiosity for their world and she had been nothing but quiet and gentle towards him and Jason.

“I think this is idiocy. We are risking everything for one measly human that Todd has a soft spot for.” Damian grumbled.

“What kind of heroes would we be if we didn’t try and help every living thing, mister I-don’t-eat-fish.” Steph said as she stuck her tongue out at Dami. He glowered and moved towards her, but Dick held him back.

“She’s right.” Tim said quietly. “We all decided we would do what was right and good and right now that is helping Y/N.” They all nodded as they got back to their assigned jobs.

During all of this, Jason did his best to remain calm, but inside all he wanted to do was go in full speed and rescue the woman who had come to mean the world to him. He hadn’t meant to fall for her so quickly, but something about the way she listened and understood him just made him feel whole. He just hoped he would be able to save her in time to tell her how much she meant to him. Even if she would soon have to forget he ever existed.


	7. Chapter 7

It had been three days. Well, it felt like it had been three days. There had been long periods of silence in which Y/N tried to sleep, but only succeeded in closing her eyes before the older man, Ra’s she had learned his name was, and his intimidating entourage had come to visit twice more. Each time, Ra’s reasserted that what they were doing was necessary and that he did not enjoy it. Y/N had tried arguing that no one on land would listen to her even if she did happen to remember mermaids, but Ra’s once again declared he could not take that chance.

Y/N had hoped Jason and Dick would be coming for her, but with every minute that passed, the light in her heart grew dimmer. The mermaid’s kiss was less strong now, with what Ra’s had told her was less than a day left. She supposed he thought he was helping her, letting her know how much time was left for her, but it only succeeded in making her despair even more. Y/N’s breathing was a bit more shallow now, and she felt lightheaded even though she was taking deep breaths.

She stared at the glowing plant in the lantern, the only comfort of her prison. She focused on it’s light, letting it drive out all the dark thoughts. 

Suddenly, she heard a commotion outside her room. She sat up and watched as the door opened again. It hadn’t been that long since Ra’s had been in to see her, so she was at a loss for whom it could be. Her heart leapt in her chest when she saw Jason’s familiar teal eyes focus on her.

He rushed forward and pulled her close, burying his face in her hair. She let him hold her, pressing her face into the crook of his neck.

“I almost thought you weren’t coming.” Y/N murmured against his skin. Jason pulled back and cradled her face in his hands.

“I would do everything in my power to save you, even if I had to die again.” He said as he looked deeply into her eyes. Y/N felt truly at home for the first time since she had stepped foot on a boat. The ocean had called to her and she had answered by learning to sail, but with Jason, she felt complete. Like she had found a piece of herself that she hadn’t known she was missing. How was she ever going to live without him? She pushed down the sorrow of that thought and let the happiness of seeing him again fill her heart. 

Jason quickly turned and swam out of the door. “Things might be a bit tricky for the next couple of minutes. Just hold on tight.” She nodded as the wrapped her arms more firmly around him. She could hear the sounds of fighting coming from different parts of the tunnels. 

Jason maneuvered through the underwater labyrinth until they got out. They swam to a well hidden cave not too far away and waited until his family joined.

“Is everyone alright?” Bruce asked when they had regrouped. Various murmurs of affirmation filled the room. “Good. I am joining Dick and Jason in escorting Y/N to the sea witch. The rest of you make sure we are not followed.” 

Bruce watched as everyone left the small room. He particularly watched the way Jason and Y/N interacted with each other. They were in love. Or well on their way to being in love. The only way this could end was in heartbreak and his son had seen enough of that in his life. Which left Bruce wondering what he could possibly do to prevent it.

He thought about it more as they began the remainder of their journey. The witch’s cave wasn’t that far away from where they were, but it was long enough that it felt like they would be cutting it close. 

Soon enough, they reached the edge of an enormous kelp forest. Bruce led the way down an almost hidden path to the mouth of a dark cave. He stopped short of the entrance and turned to Jason.

“What are we waiting for? We are running out of time, Bruce!” Jason said as he moved to go inside. 

“There is something I need to tell Y/N.” Bruce said as he looked at the weak girl. She was taking fast shallow breaths now. “This witch can take away your memories of us, but she could also make you one of us.”

“What are you saying?” Dick ask quietly.

“This witch has the power to turn humans into merpeople.” Bruce said as he put a hand on Jason’s shoulder. He nodded at Dick and jerked his head forward, signaling for him to go that way. “We are going to leave you two alone to talk about this.” Bruce said as he followed Dick.

Y/N could feel Jason’s heart pounding in his chest, but his face was guarded. “Y/N, I know I haven’t known you for very long, but I want to. I want for you to stay so that I can talk to you and understand you and find out your interests and beliefs. From what you told me, it sounds like if you go back up there. To the surface. You will fight every day for the rest of your life to stay on top of a crew that would see you dead in a heartbeat. You won’t be able to trust anyone. Or, you can stay with me. You already know some of my adopted family, but you could meet my friends, Roy and Kori, and we could travel the world. I could show you so many beautiful things.” Jason said as he cradled her face in his hands. His eyes were vulnerable, so full of guarded attraction. He was afraid that she was going to take his heart and leave him at the edge of this cave with nothing. 

Y/N felt her heart melt, but her head was still confused. “Jason…. I think I want to go in alone.” She whispered. She saw the hurt flash over his face before he concealed it. He nodded and let her down. She swam slowly into the cave and didn’t look back. 

He waited, his heart in his throat, for her to come back out. He wasn’t sure if it would be a potion or what, but he was not expecting the sudden flash that bowled him over. He held tight to the body that had knocked him over as they both went cartwheeling. He heard Dick and Bruce laugh as he pulled back and saw the most beautiful sight he had ever seen. Y/N with a wide bright smile and a mermaid tail.

He felt his words catch in his throat as relief made it way through his body. He honestly hadn’t expected for her to choose to stay. He pulled her close and kissed her, trying to convey with his lips what his words couldn’t at the moment. Y/N responded in kind. 

Jason pulled back with a sigh and rested his forehead against hers. “I didn’t think you were going to stay.”

Y/N ran her fingers through his hair, her eyes mirroring the same affection as his. “Y/N the pirate captain died the moment you saved my life. Y/N the mermaid still has a lot of living to do though.”

Jason just smiled as he pulled her in for another kiss. He would have been content to just stay there like that, if Bruce had not chosen that moment to clear his throat.

“I am sure you to would probably prefer to do this in private.” Bruce said with a smirk. “And rightside up as well.” Y/N realized that when she had sent Jason tumbling, they had flipped and never righted so she and Jason’s entire reunion had been spent upside down. They both blushed as they righted themselves.

“We should get back to the cave.” Jason said as he rubbed the back of his neck in embarrassment. Thankfully, Bruce and Dick had no further comments about the display of affection they had seen. 

Y/N leaned over to Jason. “Now that I have this tail, you don’t have to carry me around anymore.”

Jason smirked as he wrapped his arms around her once again. “I wouldn’t bet on that.”


	8. Epilogue

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Plooooooot twiiiist

“What happened next?” Rosie said in a hushed tone. Her big blue eyes were wide as they focused on her father. Jason chuckled as he cuddled her close. Y/N was having dinner with some of her friends and that left Jay alone with his kids. 

He didn’t mind though. He loved his babies and cherished every moment with them. Right now, they had built a blanket fort in the living room to watch movies in, but Rosie had decided she would much rather hear a story. So Jason told his favorite one. 

“Well, Jason and Y/N grew closer together and went on many different adventures.” Jason continued. “And they fell in looove.” Rosie squealed as Jason tickled her.

“I think love is gross.” Mattie said, twisting his face in disgust.

“I think your face is gross.” Rosie shot back. Jason managed to catch Mattie before his son could get to his twin sister.

“Hey, now, if you two keep it up you’ll be going to bed just like Lizzie.” Jason said sternly. He had put the baby to bed not too long after she had her supper. Her full tummy making her tired, she fell asleep in no time. 

Mattie pouted and crossed his arms. “She started it.” He grumbled.

Jason sighed as he ruffled his son’s hair. “Sometimes I see what Y/N means when she says you are exactly like me.” The boy brightened a little bit at his father’s attention.

“Can you tell us more about the pirates?” He asked quietly.

Jason thought for a moment before continuing his story. “After Y/N became a mermaid, she joined Jason and his friends, Roy and Kori, in their travels. One time in particular, they ran into Y/N’s former crew.” 

It was a stormy day. The waves becoming increasingly hard to navigate. It was a day when merpeople and humans alike should have shied away from the ocean’s surface. But the outlaws pressed on as they knew there was trouble aboard a particular vessel in the area. A young selkie had been captured by humans and they were intent on bringing her back to land. The outlaws declared this would not be and set out to rescue the poor girl.

What they had not known at the time was that the very ship holding the selkie captive was the same one that Y/N had once captained. They guided it to a reef near the coast of an unpopulated island. As the bottom of the boat scraped the reef, Kori called to the men to jump ship. They dove into the sea and headed to the island with Jason and Roy making sure each and every one of them reached land.

One man in particular made it to an utility boat. He held the chained selkie in his arms, her seal skin locked securely in a tin box in the bottom of the small boat. Y/N recognized him immediately as her former first mate. She felt pain pierce her heart at the realization that the boat they had just sunk had belonged to her and her adopted father, but she pushed it back and swam after the vessel carrying Silver and his cargo. 

She rose up from the sea and stopped the boats motion. Silver grunted as he lurched at the sudden stop. He turned and his weathered face paled at the sight of her. 

“Girlie? By God, it cannot be!” He cried in horror.

“Why? Because you tried to kill me?” Y/N said with a smirk. She pulled the boat towards the island. 

“Ay, Captain, it is a great thing of your spirit to be delivering me from the depths of the deep.” Silver rambled as they neared land. Y/N smiled as she flipped the boat. Jason and Roy swept in to free the selkie and return her seal skin, but Y/N waved them away from the flailing man. 

She grabbed him by his shirt and drug him closer to land. She threw him to the shallows where he rolled to a stop. He sat up and spluttered in amazement and fear. 

“I want you to live.” Y/N said simply. “I want you to go back to civilization and tell them how your former Captain sunk your ship and rid you of your prize. And most of all, I want you to know, while you are reviled as the town drunk, that I am happy and alive under the waves while you will forever be the madmen sailors keep around for entertainment.” And with those words she dove back into the sea.

“Are you okay?” Jason asked, noticing her looking sadly at the now sinking ship. 

“I’ll be fine.” She answered. And they swam off to their next adventure.

“What exactly are you telling these children?” Y/N laughed from the doorway.

“Mommy!” Rosie and Mattie cried out as they can to her. They threw their arms around her and she had to brace herself before she fell. 

“You two,” Y/N said as she leaned down and kissed their excited faces. “Should be in bed by now.”

“But Daddy was telling us a story about mermaids and pirates.” Rosie protested. Jason smiled sheepishly from the blanket fort when Y/N sent him a questioning look.

“Well, it sounds like Daddy made up a really nice bedtime story.” Y/N said. “But now it is time for bed.” Rosie and Mattie kissed their parents before heading off to their rooms. 

“Mermaids and pirates, eh?” Y/N said as she sat down next to Jason. “Which one was I this time?”

Jason smiled wryly as he pulled her close. “You were the badass pirate captain who fell in love with the brave and strong merman.”

“Oh,” Y/N chuckled. “Sounds like you better write that one down. You might have a winner there.”

“I like to think I have a winner right here.” Jason teased as he kissed Y/N’s lips.

“Mm, nice try, but you aren’t getting laid until I am positive the kids are asleep.” Y/N said as she got up and went to tuck her children in and check on her baby. She laughed as she heard Jason’s disappointed groan. Maybe happily ever after wasn’t just in fairy tales after all.


End file.
